Cravat holder and former.



G. P. HALL.

GRAVAT HOLDER AND FORMER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 2, 1908.

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0 d Figfio d :a :8L l d 9- d L J K Witnesses.

Patented Oct. 22, 1912.

DNTTED TES ion GRAVAT HOLDER AND FORMER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 22, 1912.

Application filed January 2, 1908. Serial No. 409,080.

'1 10 all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, GEORGE F. HALL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Providence, in the county of Providence and State of RhodeIsland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in CravatHolders and Formers, of which the following is a specification,reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

The object of my invention is to simplify the operation of and lessenthe time required in putting on a cravat in the form of a bow tie, tohold such a cravat firmly in place when formed, to reduce to a minimumthe handling that a cravat of delicate fabric or easily soiled materialis subjected to in adjusting same, to arrange a cravat in the form of abow tie without knotting or tying it or permanently securing the severalparts, and to accomplish these results with a cravat that encircles theneck and is formed by the wearer to have the appearance of a bow tied inthe usual manner. I accomplish these results by certain novel featuresand devices which are hereinafter described, illustrated in theaccompanying drawings and finally pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figures 1 to 7 inclusive, show the metallic devicewhich I employ in securing the cravat in place after encircling thecollar of the wearer. These drawings are of nearly full size, except forslight variations in size made necessary to accommodate the severalmakes of collars with which they may be worn or the size of bow tie tobe formed. Fig. 1 is a vertical front elevation, Fig. 2, a sideelevation, Fig. 8, a rear elevation, Fig. 4: is a plan, Fig. 5 is avertical cross section on the center line, showing the binding loop Gwhich is omitted from Figs. 1 to 1, inclusive, in order not to confusethe drawing. Fig. 6 is a back elevation of the binding loop and Fig. 7is a view of the same loop as it will appear when covered with thefabric of which the cravat is made. Figs. 8 and 9 are views of two formsof cravats in extended elevation. Figs. 10 to 18, inclusive, areperspective views showing my device attached to a collar and the variousoperations necessary in arranging my cravat in the form of a bow tie bythe use of said device. Fig. 14k is a perspective sketch detailing themethod of folding the cravat to form a bow tie in connection with mydevice. Fig. 15 is a perspective view showing the method of foldinganother kind of In the drawings, Fig. 1 shows the front of my device, orfast, or stay, which consists of a metallic framework. 1 shall, indescribing this framework, consider it as in two parts referred to asthe front and rear framework respectively. The front framework is shownin Fig. 1, and consists of two upright posts AA, made parallel with eachother with only sufficient distance between them to allow the front ofthe collar button, with which it is worn, to pass between said posts (asshown by dotted lines), said posts are held in their parallel positionand a fixed distance apart by the two cross bars 0 and D which aresecurely affixed to said posts. These bars project slightly toward thefront and beyond the line of the posts AA as shown in Figs. 2, 4i and 5and provide means of attachment for the binding loop G which is shownand more fully described in Figs. 5, 6 and 7.

The distance vertically between the cross bars C and D will vary withthe width and style of cravat with which my device is to be worn. Thelower portions of the posts AA drop down below the line of cross bar Cand are looped back and extended up in the form of a hook continuouslyand form that part of the device which I will refer to as the rearframework and shown in Fig. 3, the extension from one of the posts Abeing carried back and up, forming the upright B and then being carriedover and down, forming the loop E, and then following on in a reverseorder until it again becomes the lower part of the opposite post A ofthe front framework. The vertical height of my device will vary with thestyle of the collar with which it is worn, for in all cases the bar Dmust be slightly above the topmost part of the head of the collar buttonwhile the hook or loop formed at the bottom connection between A and Bmust be below the collar. The depth of the loop on the rear frameworkalso varies as it must admit the post of the collar button as shown by Xin Figs. 2 and 4 and be deep enough to allow the loop between A and B tobe pushed up into contact with the lower edges of the collar.

Secured to the posts AA near the upper ends thereof are the prongs orprojections FF. The vertical portions of the projections FF are not inthe same plane with the posts AA, but are brought slightly forward andaway from the posts to allow the cravat to be slipped up into the spacethus formed. In a modified form of the device the verticals of theseprojections or prongs are pin pointed so that they may be inserted inthe edge of the cravat. In the first instance these prongs will bestiffened or tempered and will be bent toward the posts AA so that acravat when held between the prongs and posts will be firmly stayed. Themetal of which the entire framework is made is stiffened or tempered andthe front and rear frameworks are not parallel to each other but form asshown in Figs. 2 and 5 a sort of loop or hook narrowed in at the top.The greatest distance between A and B is at the bottom and this distancewill be only slightly greater than the thicknesses of the collar withwhich the device is worn. The fast is attached to the collar by slippingthe rear framework beneath same and forcing it up to its position oruntil the up per cross bar D is above the head of collar button asbefore indicated. The friction of the front and rear framework upon the.front and rear of collar holds the device in place.

There are other forms of fasts, which may be used with a binding loop,for attaching the device to the collar or neckband of the wearer and theloop may be of different shape and conformation. Such other forms arewithin the scope of my invention provided they are adapted to bind, holdand secure the folds of a cravat in the form of a bow tie substantiallyin the manner specified.

In Fig. 5 is shown the binding loop G in its closed position by solidlines and in its open position by dotted lines G. This binding loopconforms with the loop of the fab ric in a bow tie which bisects thefinished bow vertically at the center and knots the whole together. Inmy invention this loop is in some cases made of a flat piece of metal,corresponding in width with the fabric of the cravat at a pointconforming with the position of the usual binding loop. This metal isbent substantially as shown in the drawings, but of different forms andsizes to accommodate itself to the style of bow which is to be formed,the upper and lower ends being bent back and provided with hooks H and Ifor engaging the cross bars D and C. In the preferred form the lowerengaging hook I will be closed together over the bar C making a hingejoint that will allow the binding loop to assume the position shown bydotted lines in Fig. 5; it may, however be formed as a spring hook whichwill slip over bar C and be easily removed therefrom.

At the upper end of loop G is formed an open hook or catch H which willengage the cross bar D. Either the upper or lower hooks may be hinged tothe bars although the form shown is preferable. The width of H and I isslightly less than the clear distance between the upright posts AA. Themetal of which the binding loop is made has some temper or spring andthe vertical distance between hooks H and I is somewhat greater than thespacing of bars C and D, so that in order to fasten it in place as shownat G, Fig. 5, it must be compressed vertically, allowing the hooks whenthe tension is released, to spring apart and to engage the loars when itwill be held rigidly in place by reason of the stiffness or spring ofthe metal. of which it is constructed. The binding loop is covered, withthe eX- ception of the hooks H and. I, with the fabric of which thecravat, with which it is to be used, is made and this covering isattached in any acceptable manner. In some cases it may simply overlaythe outer face of the loop. Small holes are made in the metal loop forsecuring the covering when it is sewed on or otherwise attached. Thebinding loop may be of fiat metal stock of any width or shape or of wirestock bent substantially in the form shown and adapted to be covered asbefore indicated.

In Fig. 16, I show the front elevation G of a modifield form of bindingloop made of finished metal and ornamented. This loop corresponds withthe loop previously described in general form, but is not to be coveredwith fabric, although fabric may underlie same; and the front surfacemay be made of more or less ornamental design, may be of solid metalwith the ornamentation stamped or cut on face of same, or may beenameled in designs or inlaid, or receive any embellishment or it may bemade of separate pieces with an incised design or formed in any othermanner to accomplish its purpose of binding the folds of a cravattogether. If of incised metal it could have a backing of fabric.

In Fig. 9 is shown in flat extended elevation the outline of a cravatfor use with my device. In forming a bow tie, by the use of my devicethere is no tying of knots and. therefore my cravat is somewhat shorter,for a given size of collar, than a cravat which would. form a bow ofequal size if tied in the regular manner. Furthermore, my cravats willbe made in various lengths between the points designated by dotted linesa-a to agree with the sizes of collars with which they are to be worn.

In Fig. 9, the part of the cravat which encircles the neck is shown at Jbetween the dotted. lines aa.,' the dotted lines, a, a, indicate thepoints on the cravat where the prongs of the metallic fast orstay willengage same. At these points on cravats made of some kinds of fabric atab or patch or loop, cZ--(Z, of other kind of fabric from that of whichcravat is made will be attached so that said prongs may more easilyengage and hold said cravat in place. The ends of the cravat, K and L,are formed to fold as a will be described later on. The width of theends will vary in accordance with the change in fashions of how ties andwhen such width is greater than the length of the prongs on the metallicfast or stay, the cravat will be reduced at points te -a to a widthapproximately coinciding with length of said prongs by cutting andforming in dentations on the upper edge of the cravat on easy curvessimilar to those shown.

Fig. 8 shows a modified form of cravat.

In Figs. 10, 11, 12, and 13 is illustrated my method of forming a bowtie and hold ing same in position. In the figures, Y is the shirt collarattached to the neck band of a shirt in the usual manner. The metallicfast or stay is shown in place and attached as before described with thebinding loop G, swinging forward on the hinge hook I and occupyingposition shown by dotted lines in Fig. 5. The cravat, Fig. 9, is now putaround the collar and attached to the prongs of the fast at points a-aand then the ends, K and L, are turned back to right and left from thesepoints of contact as shown in Fig. 10, one end or the other (in thisillustration, end K), is then folded back on itself in an oppositedirection, Fig. 11, and there held with the fingers while end I1 issimilarly folded back and over K and the wings of the tie are formed asshown in Fig. 12, the lower edges of the tie resting upon the bindingloop G, which is then closed up over the folds and the top hook II, iscaught on the cross bar I) and the operation is complete, resulting in acravat having the appearance of being tied in a bow as shown in Fig. 15but which has been formed without tying and which can be quickly put onand taken off.

Fig. lt is a drawing on a larger scale, showing more clearly the methodof laying the folds as described above. Fig. 15 illustrates the mannerof forming a cravat of the shape shown in Fig. 8.

I claim as a novel and useful invention and desire to secure by LettersPatent:

1. In a cravat holder and former, the combination of a metallic fastadapted to be secured to the collar of the vear r, means on the fast soadapted that a cravat encircling the neck of the wearer may be removablyattached thereto, a metallic binding loop having two ends or terminalsand an intermediate portion extending between the terminals, said loopadapted at its terminals for detachable engagement with said fast, theintermediate portion of said loop adapted to be faced or covered with amaterial or fabric similar to that of which the cravat is made and thefast and the loop so assembled as to bind together a properly foldedcravat in the form and manner specified.

2. In a cravat holder and former, the combination of a metallic. fastadapted to be frictionally secured to the apparel of the wearer in themanner specified, means on the fast adapted for the attachment of acravat, encircling the neck of the wearer, at two points intermediatethe ends of said cravat, a metallic binding loop having two ends orterminals adapted for detachable engagement with said fast, said endsintegral with the loop and the fast and the loop so assembled as to bindand hold together and in place the folds of a bow tie in the mannerspecified.

3. In a cravat holder and former, the combination of a metallic fastadapted to be secured to the collar of the wearer, means on the fastadapted for the attachment of a cravat at two points intermediate theends of said cravat, two points of attachment. on the fast located oneabove the other, a metallic binding loop having two ends or terminals,one above the other, each of which is adapted to removably engage with apoint of attachment on the fast, said loop bending upwardly, downwardly,outwardly and con-' tinuously between its terminals wien engaged withthe fast and when so engaged the vertical height between the points ofattachment on the fast being less than the total vertical height of theloop, the uppermost part of the loop extending above the upper point ofattachment on the fast and the lowermost part of the loop extendingbelow the lower point of attachment on the fast and the parts of thedevice assembled and adapted to hold, bind and secure a cravat in theform of abow tie substantially as specified.

4. In acravat holder and former, the combination of a. metallic bindingloop, adapted to receive a facing or covering of fabric, said 100premovably attached at its upper and lower ends to means for securingsame in place to the collar or neckband of the wearer, said loop adaptedto eXert pressure by spring tension at its points of attachment andadapted to hinge on either point of attachment and swing outwardly fromthe securing means.

5. In a cravat holder and former, the combination of a metallic fast anda metallic binding loop, means on said fast adapted to engage with thecollar or neck-band of the wearer to hold said device in place, othermeans adapted for the attachment of a cravat at two points intermediatethe ends of the cravat, other means adapted for the attachment of ametallic binding loop at two points thereon and a metallic binding loophaving two ends or terminals continu ously connected by a bent portion,said loop adapted for attachment to said fast at its terminals andarranged to hinge on and swing outwardly from the fast on either of itspoints of engagement therewith, and the assembled device adaptedtoreceive and hold between the loop and the fast the folds of a cravatwhen laid in place and bound round about by said loop.

6. In a cravat holder and former the combination of a metallic fast anda binding loop adapted to be secured to the collar or neck-band of thewearer, said loop having two ends or terminals detachably engaged withsaid fast and an intermediate portion extending continuously betweensaid terminals and ada )ted to receive a facing or covering of fabricand the device so assembled as to bind, hold and secure the folds of acravat in the manner specified, and when so assembled the extremevertical dimension of the loop exceeding the extreme vertical dimensionof the fast, the extreme lateral dimension of the loop exceeding theextreme lateral dimension of the fast and such excess of verticaldimension of the loop over the like dimension of the fast extendingpartly above and partly below the extreme vertical dimension of the fastand the loop centered laterally on the fast.

7. In a cravat holder and former, the combination of a fast adapted tobe frictionally engaged with the collar of the wearer, means adapted toposition it laterally, means adapted to limit its upward movement to apre-determined extentwith relation to the collar when so engaged, meansadapted for the attachment of a cravat, means adapted for the attachmentof a binding loop and a metallic binding loop having two ends orterminals integral with a bent portion ex tending continuously betweensaid terminals and said loop adapted to be held in detachable andfrictional engagement with said fast by the spring tension of the loopexerted at said points of engagement.

8. In a cravat holder and former, the

combination of a metallic fast adapted to be secured in position to theapparel of the wearer, means adapted for the attachment of a. cravat attwo points intermediate the ends of the cravat, means adapted for thesecuring of a binding loop at two points, and a metallic binding loophaving two integral ends or terminals adapted to engage said fast and abent portion extending continuously between said terminals, theperpendicular distance between the terminals exceeding the distancebetween the two points on the fast with which they engage and said loopadapted to exert spring tension to return the terminals to theiroriginal relation when forced out of such relation.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

GEORGE F. HALL. itnesses BENJ. A. ARMSTRONG, WM. C. KnNYoN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

